Leg-rests

ABSTRACT

790,980. Leg rests. GOHMANN, H. July 25, 1956 [Aug. 3, 1955], No. 22972/56. Class 52(2) A leg rest for use when sitting or lying down is in the form of a wedge of which the height h of the edge 3 above the ground is twice the width b of the base, the rest being constructed of tubing 1 to which is attached a leg support 5 pivoted to knuckle sleeves 2 or attached by a divided tubular member snapped on to the edge tube 3. Rubber sleeves 9 form bearing surfaces and the rest is used standing either on its base or on a flank.

NOV. 24, 1959 GHMANN 2,914,116

LEG-RESTS Filed .July 9, 1956 /NVNTORI Heinz G'hmanfl United States Patent This invention relates to a leg rest for use when sitting or lying down and comprising a leg support capable of pivotal movement about a: horizontal axis. Such leg rests which support the feet-ofr a persom when seated or lying in a recumbent position at the approximate level, or slightly raised above the level ofV the remainder of the body, promote circulation of the blood and relieve the known symptom of tired feet which arises after prolonged standing.

Leg rests which can be adjustedto the proper height; for a seated person are already known, as Vare also leg rests which can be attached to the ann restsiof chairs by means of screw clamps. However, there are not yetavailable legrests which are adapted for use by al persoinv when in a seated position and Vwhen lying down, that is to say, universal leg rests which can be used in either of these two normal body positions.

The present invention provides a leg rest which can be used when a person is seated and also when a person is lying down, the leg rest comprising a frame in the form of a wedge the edge of which is approximately twice as high above the ground as the width of the base of the wedge and located approximately above the middle of the base, means being provided for detachably securing a leg support on the edge of the wedge as well as on at least one side of the base that is parallel with the said edge. v

In this form the leg rest can be constructed in the form of a hollow body of light metal, sheet iron, or wood. However the leg rest will be particularly light in weight and inexpensive if it is formed of bent tubular construction with an open Hank to the wedge.

Such leg rests provide two alternative levels of support according to whether the rest stands on the base of the wedge or on one of the flanks of the wedge. The higher of the two levels of support is preferably chosen so that it is slightly higher than the level of a conventional chair. In this position the leg rest can be used to support the legs of a person when seated. If the length of the shorter side of the base is constructed so that it is half the length of a perpendicular dropped from the edge of the wedge to the shorter side of the base, experience shows that the level of support provided by the leg rest when the latter lies on one of its flanks is particularly favourable for supporting the feet of a person when lying down.

Means are provided for attaching a leg support to the edge of the wedge and also to one of the sides of the base of the wedge. The leg support may be made of light metal or wood and may be arched transversely of the pivot axis and slightly bent `downwards at its forward end and can be readily attached to the rest and the height of the support quickly and easily changed.

The leg support may be attached to the leg rest by means of a pin or a catch which forms a hinge and ribbed rubber sleeves may be provided on the rest. These rubber sleeves serve to prevent the leg rest from slipping on a slippery surface such as a parquet floor or linoleum when 2,9 l 4,1 16 Patented Nov. 24,l 1959.

2 the legs are placed on the rest or the position of thebody changed.

An illustrative example, of the present invention dis-V closing a leg rest of tubular construction isV shown inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view of the leg rest, the leg support being omitted in the proper position fora person when'seated.

Fig. 2 shows the leg support attached to the rest and in use by a person seated in a chair.

Fig. 3 shows the support attached to thef restand in use by aperson lying down.

Fig. 4v is a section through the edgeV of a. side of the base of the wedge-like leg rest showing a means for atv` taching the leg support tol therest, andv Fig. 5 is asection on the line-A-B of Fig. 4.`

In Fig. 1 the dotted lines indicate how thev leg rest mayl be considered to represent a wedge. The height4 h of the edgev of the wedge above the ground is approximately twice the width b of the base.l In the illustrated example the leg rest is constructed of one continuous length. of tubing 1 Y Means for attaching the-support tothe rest comprises knuckle sleeves 2,which are mounted both .on the edge 3 ofthe wedge, as well as on the cross member 4` of Vthe base, These knuckle4 sleeves 2 cooperate with a further knuckle sleeve 7, Fig. 5 which is attached by means of, a shackle 6 tothe leg support a pin Sheing inserted through the sleeves 2v and slee-ve 7 Alternatively, a divided tubular member may be attached to the supportadapted to be snapped on to the tube section 3 which forms the edge of the wedge and thus to be pivotally held in position.

The leg rest is provided with ribbed rubber sleeves 9 preferably equidistantly distributed to form bearing surfaces.

The leg support 5 itself may be slightly arched across the line of the feet. At its end 10 remote from the person seated the leg support is conveniently bent downwards so as not to press against the heels and to give the feet additional purchase when the support is somewhat inclined.

What is claimed is:

1. A leg rest, comprising, in combination, two supporting means located in two planes, respectively for interchangeably resting on a supporting surface in a third plane substantially parallel to that one of said supporting means which engages and is next to said surface, said planes intersecting each other along a line of intersection at an acute angle, each of said supporting means having an edge parallel to and spaced from said line of intersection, said edges of said supporting means being located at different distances from said line of intersection; two pivoting means respectively arranged on said two supporting means along said edges thereof and having pivoting axes parallel to said edges; and a tiltable platform having hinge means and being interchangeably attachable by said hinge means to the one of said two pivoting means which is distant from said one supporting means.

2. A leg rest, comprising, in combination, two U- shaped portions located in two planes, respectively, for interchangeably resting on a supporting surface in a third plane substantially parallel to that one of said U-shaped portions which engages and is next to said surface, said U-shaped portions having each a yoke portion and two legs differing in length from the length ofthe legs of the other U-shaped portion, each leg of one U-shaped portion being connected at its free end to the free end of one leg of the other U-shaped portion and enclosing an 0 acute angle therewith; two pivoting means respectively to the respective yoke; and a tiltable platform having hinge means and being interchangeably attached by said hinge means to the one of said pivoting means which is distant from said one U-shaped portion resting on said surface.

3. A leg rest, comprising, in combination, two U- shaped portions located in two planes, respectively, for interchangeably resting on a supporting surface in a third plane substantially parallel to that one of said U-shaped portions which engages and is next to said surface; said U-shaped portions having each a yoke portion and two legs differing in length from the length of the legs of the other U-shaped portion, each leg of one U-shaped portion being connected at its free end to the free end of one leg of the other U-shaped portion so as to enclose an acute angle therewith, the lateral ends of the yoke portion connecting the longer ones of said legs being located substantially on a line extending perpendicularly from the midpoint of the shorter leg connected therewith, and the distance of said lateral ends of said yoke from said midpoint being substantially twice as long as said shorter leg; and a tiltable platform having hinge means and beinb interchangeably attachable by said hinge means to the one of said yoke portions which is distant from said one U-shaped portion resting ony said surface for turning movement about an axis parallel with said yoke portion, said hinge means comprising split resilient tubular means attached to one face of said platform and adapted to be forced by spreading into engagement with said yoke portion.

4. A leg rest, comprising, in combination, two U- shaped portions located in two planes, respectively, for

interchangeably resting on a supporting surface in a third plane substantially parallel to that one of said U-shaped portions which engages and is next to said surface, said U-shaped portions having each a yoke portion and two legs dilfering in length from the length of the legs of the other U-shaped portion, each leg of one U-shaped portion being connected at its free end to the free end of one leg of the other U-shaped portion so as to enclose an acute angle therewith; two pivoting means each mounted on one of said U-shaped portions along said yoke thereof and having a pivoting axis parallel to said yoke, Ysaid pivoting means being the one part of a hinge; and a tiltable platform having hinge means and being interchangeably attachable by said hinge means to the one of said pivoting means which is distant from said one U-shaped portion resting on said surface, said hinge means being the other part of a hinge and including a removable` hinge pin for connecting said two parts of a hinge together.

Great Britain Apr. 17, 1929 

